Following the announcement by the UK Government that it will be employing 200 clinical endoscopists and 300 reporting radiographers to improve access to cancer treatment, when will the Welsh Government be publishing a workforce plan for Wales's cancer services?
Our approach to improving cancer services and outcomes is set out in the Cancer Delivery Plan for Wales which was updated in November 2016. It includes a particular focus on detecting cancers earlier, at more treatable stages and supporting ongoing improvement in the quality of services.
In NHS Wales it is the responsibility of health boards and trusts to develop sustainable workforce plans, through their Integrated Medium Term Plan (IMTPs), as they are best placed to ensure that services they plan are matched to their local population’s needs.
Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) will be established on 1 October 2018 and will bring together the Wales Deanery, the Wales Centre for Pharmacy Professional Education (WCPPE) and the Workforce, Education and Development Services (WEDS) into a new special health authority. HEIW will take the lead in respect of workforce planning and the development of a national ten year plan for the NHS workforce.
There is also important work being undertaken to support local workforce plans through the development of an Imaging Academy for Wales, the development of the role of the non-medical endoscopist and the publication of the healthcare science framework for the professions which covers over fifty disciplines.